The archaeological remnants of human activity in Central Macedonia from the Prehistoric to the Byzantine period have been brought to light in archaeological excavations, carried out during the construction works for the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), operator of the project TAP AG company said.

The work has been undertaken by archaeologists, who are employed in the area by the TAP project and monitored by the local Ephorates of Antiquities (of Thessaloniki, Kilkis and Serres), as well as the Ministry of Culture and Sports.

The project is currently in its construction phase, which started in 2016.

Once built, TAP will offer a direct and cost-effective transportation route opening up the vital Southern Gas Corridor, a 3500-kilometre long gas value chain stretching from the Caspian Sea to Europe. TAP will transport natural gas from the giant Shah Deniz II field in Azerbaijan to Europe. The 878 km long pipeline will connect with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) at the Turkish-Greek border at Kipoi, cross Greece and Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Southern Italy.

TAP’s routing can facilitate gas supply to several South Eastern European countries, including Bulgaria, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and others. TAP’s landfall in Italy provides multiple opportunities for further transport of Caspian natural gas to some of the largest European markets such as Germany, France, the UK, Switzerland and Austria.

TAP will promote economic development and job creation along the pipeline route; it will also be a major source of foreign direct investment and is not dependent on grants or subsidies. With first gas sales to Georgia and Turkey targeted for late 2018, first deliveries to Europe will follow approximately one year later in early 2020.